Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Yara Soto.
Hi Dr. Soto, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My husband Albert and I met in 2007 when we started dental school together. Soon after, we opened our first dental office. After three years of running our office, we decided to move to my husband’s hometown of San Diego.
We moved to San Diego in 2016 and started working at an office that was very high pace and impersonal. And although I learned a lot at this office, I realized that I didn’t want to practice that kind of dentistry. So once I felt that I could offer great care for my patients, I started looking for my ideal office. That is when I found Dr. Hunter and his amazing team in El Cajon, CA. Dr. Hunter started in 1976 and grew his practice into a warm, welcoming sanctuary with a truly personal relationship with all of his patients! This is exactly what we were looking for and all of the pieces seemed to fall right into place, even getting the keys to our new practice on my 3rd wedding anniversary, which we felt was very serendipitous! After a year of getting to know our patients on a personal level, I know that we are headed in the right direction and that I am where I am supposed to be.
Also, my husband’s father, Dr. Albert Molina Sr., had his family practice in El Cajon for over 25 years, so we know how lucky we are to have such great patients in such a nice community. We are also so happy and grateful to live in San Diego, surrounded by warm weather and sandy beaches. Albert and I are always looking for an excuse to be outside and enjoy San Diego weather with our toy Australian Shepherd, Bruce.
Since graduating from dental school in 2012, I have been constantly attending courses to stay current in the latest technology, procedures, and biocompatible materials available in the dental field to provide the best care possible. I am proud to be a graduate of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry Implant Maxicourse at the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, a program recognized as one of the finest in the world. I also joined the team of clinicians at Millennium Dental Technologies and am now certified to use the only FDA-approved laser for periodontal treatment. With the help from our amazing team at Bella Dental, we hope to continue providing the best care possible while focusing on patient comfort and trust.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Almost EVERY SINGLE piece of (very high-tech) equipment broke down as soon as we took over. It started in February of 2021 and with our most expensive machine! For our first three months, we were unable to take (CT) scans and consequently had to postpone a lot of treatment. After that, we were told that we needed to upgrade our dental software but our computers were so old that they had to be upgraded as well. This became a trend, as something else would stop working every other week; from our ultrasonic instrument cleaner to our autoclave, to the vacuum pump and compressor and eventually even our intra-oral scanner! Just as soon as we fixed one thing, another would stop working. We got to a point where we didn’t think we were going to make it. Finally in October and November things started turning around for us!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a small, family dental practice that does it all; from same-day crowns and bridges to removable dentures and implants. What sets us apart from so many dental offices is 1) the level of personalized care we offer and 2) our Perio laser. Because we know how much fear and anxiety people feel when they go to the dentist, we make comfort our priority. We also love having a personal relationship with our patients. Our Periolase is another thing that sets us apart from other dentists! This laser is the only laser that is FDA-approved for regeneration of new bone, cementum and ligaments. Dental schools across the United States are beginning to incorporate this particular laser into their curriculum because it is the future of dentistry! And when we heard that there was a laser that could potentially save ‘hopeless’ teeth, we knew we wanted to offer this to our patients!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love that there is so much diversity in San Diego, such great weather, beautiful beaches, amazing food and drinks, great hiking spots and outdoor activities. I love walking to the Tuna Harbour Dockside Market every Saturday to get some fresh fish! I love that we never run out of things to do here! This is truly America’s finest city and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else!
Contact Info:
- Email: docyaradds@gmail.com
- Website: www.belladentalelcajon.com
- Instagram: BellaDentalGroup
- Facebook: Bella Dental El Cajon
- Yelp: BellaDentalGroup
